Let’s Get Intimate

I remember being in School and taking part in Sex Education.. a lesson we all mostly dreaded, red faces, deep cringes. I remember being a certain age and never wanting to mention the word “period” to anyone, hiding my monthly supplies in my shopping basket and only going to a female cashier. Now it’s 2018, I’m almost 30 and… I’m about to write about thrush. How things change, eh?!

In all serious though, why are we so afraid to talk about intimate health? We can discuss our flu symptoms, bodily functions and how our tonsils are feeling but not that we’re suffering with a little bit of thrush and it flamin’ sucks. When Canesten got in touch and asked me to help to change how we see intimate health, I knew I had to take part. Canesten believe that if we know more about intimate health, we will be much more equipped when it comes to dealing with it. Even though we’re a nation of health-googlers, it’s still always best to talk to someone in person and gain advice and tips. For instance, I always get all my health related tips from my Mum and she’s definitely something that google can’t replace!

Now if you’re reading this and you think you’ve never had thrush, you’re probably wrong (and if not… very lucky!) The basics of it are that it’s a very common yeast infection and can be experienced by both men and women. It’s caused by an overgrowth of a yeast-like fungus, Candida albicans. This fungus is naturally found on the skin of healthy people, however, when the natural balance of the skin flora is disturbed, the fungus can multiply excessively triggering the typical signs of the infection. It sounds a lot more complex than it is, but it’s basically really aggravating. For the main symptoms of thrush, click here and for thrush treatment, click here!

So, if you have an intimate problem that need’s discussing, how can you do so without feeling like your face is on fire!? Luckily enough, I have some tips to help you out…

Choose Someone You Trust

If you have a private problem, always talk to someone you know and trust. This could be a family member such as your Mum or even a close family friend. If you’d rather not chat to family though, go speak to your best friend. It always helps if you know the person and feel like you’re in good hands – that’s half the battle won! If of course you have no one like this that you’d want to talk to, there is plenty of help available online or at your Doctors surgery.

Pick The Moment

You might not fancy chatting Vag’s in the middle of Tesco and that’s FINE! So, don’t! Choose your moment and make sure it’s a place and time you feel comfortable. The best times would be when you’re visiting your friends house, or perhaps a long car journey. The less public, the better! If it’s not the right time you’ll end up feeling more embarrassed and won’t be able to share advice.. so what’s the point?

Don’t Be Ashamed

A problem shared is a problem halved.. I hate to be that person but the saying makes sense! Sharing is caring, etc etc and to be honest.. once you’ve bit the bullet and had a good chat, you’ll feel so much better. You’ll most likely have a cure, or some tips to feel better and I bet you 99.9% the person you’re confiding in has been there and knows exactly how you feel.